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[PODCAST] Wolf Warriors 2: Why a China-Africa Blockbuster is Blowing Up the Box Office
Wolf Warriors 2 is the movie sensation of the summer in China, taking in over a record $630 million in box office receipts. The movie is so popular that is now the first non-Hollywood film to ever break in to the top 100 highest grossing releases.
Set in a fictitious African country, Wolf Warriors 2 depicts a former Chinese special forces operative in an active war zone to rescue a group of Chinese compatriots and locals from a posse of blood-thirsty Western mercenaries. Marital arts star Wu Jing directed and stars in the movie as the lead character Leng Feng who blows up pretty much everything in his way as he rescues the innocent and kills the bad guys.
Wolf Warriors 2 is more than just an action movie, it also highlights a rising level of patriotic identity in China that now extends internationally. The film's tag line "whoever offends China will be hunted down no matter how far away they are” embodies this new assertive globalist message that China's interests extend far beyond its own borders and that when challenged, Beijing will respond to protect its people and interests overseas. Moviegoers have long been accustomed to watching these kinds of films coming from the United States, whether it's the nationalism portrayed in Top Gun or the lone soldier seeking justice that was the Rambo series, but this is an entirely experience seeing it in distinctly Chinese context.
In this edition of the China in Africa Podcast, Eric & Cobus discuss why Wolf Warriror 2 is so important to both understand Chinese popular opinion of Africa but also to gain an insight into a more muscular Chinese worldview.
Join the discussion. Have you seen Wolf Warrior 2? If so, what did you think? Exciting? Offensive? A bit of both? Let us know what your opinions.
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Twitter: @eolander | @stadenesque
Procurement & Supply Chain Professional
7 年I have watched it; its a nice movie. The supremacy battle between America and China shows up when, Celina Jade (Dr Rachel Smith) asks Wu Jing(Feng Leng); " You are Going to he Chinese factory? We should go the American Consulate. The US Marines are stationed there. That's our safest bet." Wu Jing(Feng Leng) responds; "You think the US Marines are the best in the world? That may be true, but where are they now?" Celina Jade (Dr Rachel Smith) goes on to say; "I've informed the consulate of the situation." Wu Jing(Feng Leng) in his sarcasm still asks; " Where are they?" This shows that currently there is the availability of the Chinese people to resolve Africa crisis any time and hence the African people should count on them; reliability.
Taiwan Information Education Development Association
7 年The movie is kinda cheesy, as Cobas said it's basically Rambo remade in 2017 with a chinese theme. It does peer into some of the insights on China's change , but probably not the kind I would hope they go around propagating too much. granted, there's a bit of a sadistic humor in all these "white guys = bad guys " theme of "hey how's that reverse racism going for you" . But yeah, this isn't going to go down well with African audience.
magasinier
7 年cool